The American Foundation for the Blind is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
founded in 1921. It is best known to the public for its association with Helen
Keller who represented AFB for 44 years-from 1924 until her death in 1968. AFB
is the preeminent research and information resource for professionals and
educators serving blind and low- vision people worldwide. It is the leading
advocate for blind and low-vision people with government and the corporate
sector. It is a publisher of curricula used in universities and pre-schools
alike--and of "Talking Books" or recorded books for blind people" (which it
pioneered in the 1920s on 78 RPM discs). AFB's mission is "to enable people
who are blind or visually impaired to achieve equality of access and
opportunity to ensure freedom of choice in their lives."

AFB has identified access to information as perhaps the most critical issue
facing blind people today. AFB further recognizes that modern
telecommunication and computer technology affords blind people heretofore
undreamed of opportunity to participate as equals with their non-disabled
fellows at work and at home. The accessible web is one such technology.
Electronic publishing is another example of transformational opportunity [see
our white paper Surpassing
Gutenburg. E-commerce is a third example of technology which can transform
lives. Yet suchan outcome is by nomeans guaranteed simply because networked
computerswill grow ever morepowerful and affordable. AFB is determined,
however, that this dream will be realized.

The fundamental fact about digital technology underpinning our dream is the
unambiguous observation that bits and bytes do not discriminate on their own.
It is only in the systems design choices imposed by technologists who organize
bits and bytes into applications for ordinary mortals that discrimination or
inclusion is determined. AFB believes it is in the best interests of all
concerned that society choose and require inclusive technology of those who
build technology. We are passionate on this point because we know that
accessible technology profoundly transforms the lives of individuals who are
blind or visually impaired. We are also aware that technology intended to make
the world accessible to people with disabilities can change the way all people
live their lives. We applaud the achievments of the W3C's WAI in this regard. We come now to the
table seeking to insure that those gains be preserved as we develop systems
designed to protect intellectual and personal property from unauthorized use.
Here too, in Digital Rights Management systems, we must purposefully include
people with disabilities in our technologies so that we are not incidentally
and unintentionally excluded.

In our work with the U.S. Library of Congress' National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically handicapped's Digital Talking Book Initiative, and in
our work with the Open Electronic Book Forum, we have learned that our goal of
inclusion is achievable. Our white paper on Rights Management in Digital
Talking Books sets out the foundation for just such a system--one which
will be both effective and transparant to users who are using content as they
are authorized to use it. We are pleased that the W3C is now embarking on
developing general solutions for rights management on the web. We look forward
to working with others in this effort to devise system frameworks and specific
technologies that meet all stakeholders needs reasonably to the greater good
of all society.